


Just As James Was About To Give Up

by InsecurelyPerfect



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, gotta brotecc that bro bro, james is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 06:55:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12882519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsecurelyPerfect/pseuds/InsecurelyPerfect
Summary: James likes Lily and messes up.





	Just As James Was About To Give Up

Remus followed James as he angrily stormed into their room, slamming the door and balling up on his bed. Remus rarely saw James like this, and when he was so upset or mad that he wasn't joking, everyone knew to take that seriously. Remus debated asking. Knowing James, he’d probably say eventually, but he wasn't sure if it was smart to press the matter now or wait until he calmed down before asking. 

However, since he was dubbed the father figure three years ago in his first year at Hogwarts, Remus decided to ask now. He say behind James, rubbing his back slowly, pulling the boy out of his balled position and into his own chest, hoping the warmth would get him to open up. Remus opened his mouth, about to say something, but James turned into his friend’s chest, wrapping his arms around his friend and broke down sobbing. 

“James?” Remus whispered, unsure of how to delicately approach the situation. 

James lifted his head up, eyes red and a few wet, fallen lashes lay on his cheeks, scattered, his black hair shining in the moonlight. It broke Remus to see one of his best friends like this. Remus could tell James was about to speak, but his lip quivered and when he opened his mouth, he could only manage a sob. 

Remus patted his back, rubbing soothingly, just like his mum did when he was a boy and woke up from a ferocious nightmare. Remus embraced his friend, moving so delicately, as if he were on a sheet of ice to save a friend, so he could lay on the bed and James could curl up in his side. “Hey, it's okay. It'll be okay.” Those soothing words with essentially no meaning, seeing as Remus didn't know what happened, seemed to get through to James. Now, he was only shaking in Remus’ arms. His sobbing ceased and he pulled himself up from Remus, noticing how much he soaked the shirt. 

James rubbed at his eyes, wiping away the tears and pushed his hair back, taking a few deep breaths. His voice came out harsh and raspy. 

“Rem, she doesn't want anything to do with me. . . I tried so hard to impress her. I actually read over the homework and was working in class! I didn't just goof off. I mean, obviously I did a little bit, but. . . I tried. I'm trying. And she hates me. . .”

Remus knew what this was about. Lily Evans. James was head over heels for her. Never tried in anything as much as he does to get her. While James doesn't see fault in what he’s doing, Lily does. She frequently calls him out for it as well. 

“What happened this time?”

“In Potions, when Professor Slughorn asked something I thought I knew the answer to, I confidently shouted out ‘beozards’ and Lily snickered. Then she sneakily passed me a note saying how I need to listen and think before I speak, and that if I keep shouting out the first thing that comes to mind, I'm going to end up miserable in a place I despise. So then I got the idea to try and make her a potion, showing her just how much I truly can care.

“Only problem is, is that is didn't go as planned and it blew up in her face instead and she started screaming at me. She yelled at me to grow up and to leave her alone and never speak with her again - not even for homework help.”

James frowned, pulling away from Remus all the way, moving to the window sill, sitting there as he gazed out at the starry night. Remus could see through James’ thoughts and knew he wished to be among the stars. James had always found an interest in stars and astronomy. When he was having a hard time, he usually pictured himself with the stars, not a care in the world.

James brought one knee up under his chin, wrapping his arms around his leg, still staring at the window, thinking. About what, Remus didn't know and James didn't seem to want to speak. 

“Sometimes I feel like the only way to get her is to leave her alone and really not talk to her. Whenever I try to fix things, they always seem to get worse. Damn it, Rem. I want her. I want to call her mine. I want her to call herself mine. I want to protect her and fight other guys who try and flirt with her. I want to be her shoulder to cry on. I want nothing more than to wake up when I'm older and see her face across from mine, sleeping peacefully, and she’ll wake up and call me hers. . . But at the rate things are going, I wouldn't even count on her saying hi to me in the hallway if I pass her.”

Remus is slick. No one knows it, because he hides it, but it's how he fixes so many problems with his friends. This time, he called Lily, wanted her to hear their conversation, wanted her to hear how badly James just wanted her to like him on a friendly level and work their way up from there. She needed to hear that James wasn't intentionally trying to cause problems. 

Thankfully, Lily had picked up. It was difficult to hear, but she made out what she needed to and she went to the boy’s dorms. Knocking on the door ended up in her waiting five minutes for a response. 

On the inside, James looked longingly at Remus, not wanting to deal with the person at the door, but Remus refused to get off his ass and get the door. The pair of them let their silent fight go on for a few minutes, until the person knocked again and James knew he wasn't going to win this, so he fell off the sill, and slunk his way over to the door. 

Greeted by the redhead he called his love, he stood in shock. 

“Hi, James.” She moved past him, kissing him on the cheek as she slipped into their dorm room.


End file.
